Veggie Pho with Rare Beef from Khai Hoan: 100 Favorite Dishes

Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing some of our favorite food folks' "Personal Best" lists. This year we're bringing back our list of 100 Favorite Dishes. Have a suggestion for a dish you'd like us to try? Leave it in the comments section or email lauren.saria@newtimes.com.

Some people call Tempe a dining desert and it's kind of true. There hasn't been a lot of growth in the city's restaurant scene over the past few years. While Tempe might not have had many hip spots crop up, longstanding classics like Khai Hoan have kept the food love going for years.

For local pho lovers, the family owned and run Khai Hoan likely supplied your first bowl, and, if it was anything like ours, it was magical. The flavorful, yet simple broth is the perfect base to start the soup, which can get even more intense with vinegar, chili garlic paste, Sriracha, mint, jalapeños, and lime, but it certainly doesn't need it.

Our favorite order is the veggie pho, which includes fried tofu, bok choy, carrots, scallions, and broccoli. However, the pho tai style rare beef is also pretty great so we typically ask them to add that into the mix too. Sure, they'll probably think you're crazy for getting tofu and beef in the same bowl, but it's totally the way to go to get extra veggies and rare beef all in one soupy package.